Alcohol, Cancer and You

The theme of this year’s European Action on Alcohol Week, 20 – 24 November is ‘Alcohol and Cancer’. Given that 900 people will be diagnosed with an alcoholrelated cancer in Ireland this year, it’s an important conversation to have. Despite this, awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer is very poor

LGBTI+ Community and Cancer Risk

In Ireland, drinking harmfully has become the norm for many people but awareness of the risks is low with just 16% of women aged 15-24 aware that alcohol can cause breast cancer.

Evidence shows that alcohol increases your risk of cancer, irrespective of the type of drink so it doesn’t matter if you drink beer, wine or spirits – the risks remain the same. In fact, alcohol has been shown to cause at least seven di. erent types of cancer: mouth, larynx, throat, oesophagus, liver, bowel and breast cancer (in women). Gay and bisexual men are at greater risk of these types of cancer as their alcohol intake is higher generally and binge drinking is more common.

About GCN

Our second annual sex issue is a hotbed of intimacy issues, as we explore the effect dating apps have had on modern gay relationships with scientist and author Giovanni Frazzetto. We meet some of the crack-team making sure we’re all in good sexual health at the Gay Men’s Health Service, while Avram Finkelstein, one of the men behind the iconic 1980s Silence = Death poster, talks art and AIDS activism with ACT UP’s Will St Leger. Anna Mac Carthy Adams gives a timely update on the complex situation same-sex parents currently face, despite the passing of the marriage referendum and children’s legislation, and we meet the man behind the return of Silver Stars, a moving musical about gay men who dared to be out and proud in Ireland of the 1980s.